Perception
by YuiSAO
Summary: 3- part drabble on the development of Kirito and Asuna's relationship. Part 1: Asuna's POV. Part 2: Kirito's POV. Part 3: Omniscient POV. Enjoy! Please take my poll -
1. Chapter 1

She looked at him intently, as he munched on the bread.

"...you really think it's good?"

"yeah, of course, I've been eating at least once since I came to this town..."

 _Should I trust him, or not? Is he really just trying to get to know me for the heck of it?_

She watched him set the small container down. Still hiding herself, she carefully, gingerly reached out towards it and touched it. A circular orb glowed on her hand, and she smeared the unknown substance on her bread.

"... _cream?"_

It seemed like the bread too had become a foreign substance, as she stared at it as well.

 _Should I eat it?_

Her eyes flickered over to him; she watched him continue to eat his bread, clearly contented. Looking back down at her bread, she decided it would be better to take a bite before it expired. Cautiously, she took a bite, and the flavor hit her mouth immediately; it was as if the dull, lifeless bread had somehow transformed, by adding a simple cream. She was amazed at how the extreme lack of flavor in the food she'd been eating had affected her. She couldn't resist, as she wolfed down the rest of the bread; it was as if she'd never had it in the first place.

He went on about how he'd gotten it from some quest, and that he'd show her if she wanted, but this in and of itself was so weird, so naturally she declined.

 _He's a little weird but, I'll thank him, someday.._

She realized by the way he walked away from the crowd, that he really didn't want to be followed. But, she couldn't help herself.

"Hey... you called my name while we were fighting, how did you know what it was?"

"...you see a bar below yours, don't you?"

She squinted at it.

"Oh, it's been here all along?"

She giggled to herself.

"..ki-ri-to...kirito?"

He nodded sagely, before dissolving the party.

She knew it would be easier to let him go, but something compelled her not to.

"Where are you going? You won't survive long as a solo player..."

"...no, maybe not, but I doubt I'd find a party to be in, but listen... if you ever get the chance to join a guild...take it..."

Those were his last words to her, for a very long time.

 _He's not so bad...I have a feeling this isn't the last time I'll see him.._


	2. Chapter 2

_This is the end..._

He looked up at the man above him; a crazed smile on his face, as he swirled the sword around. He grabbed the sword's end, which had been plunged into his core, in an attempt to remove it. But he had no strength left. Still staring at the man's face, his eyes began to close..

 _I never got back to the real world..._

He thought the last thing he'd see was the man's hideous smile, but only moments later, a face met his-one that he knew well. He was happy to see her; though at his state, he could barely smile, let alone tell her that.

She held the liquid out to him, and he drank it, slowly; watching his hp bar slowly inch back into the green zone.

"I'm so sorry...this was all my fault..."

She was cut short. The mad man had stood up once again, ready to face them. However, it seemed like he wanted to take a different approach, as he begged her for forgiveness. Having the kind soul she did, of course she obliged-but this was a bad decision. In the next moment, her sword had fallen to the ground, leaving her defenseless...

He leapt towards the man, punching him in the core. The man fell limp against his hand.

"...you...you killed me..."

And with that, he disappeared into the surroundings, in a burst of small crystalline shapes of light.

"I...I'm sorry...this is all my fault...I should stay away from you from now on," she whimpered from behind him.

 _Stay away from me? Asuna, I'd rather die than let that happen...how you did it, I don't know but...I can't leave you..._

He turned around to face her, and in a moment, his lips were on hers. He didn't really know how it happened; all he knew was that it felt right, and as he felt her relax against him, he knew she felt it too.

Finally breaking the kiss, he dropped his head.

"...Asuna, my life belongs to you...so I will use it to protect you...always..."

 _(After canon; at the new house)_

"Wow, isn't the view amazing?!" She mused, running towards the balcony. She was right; the mountains in the background, the seemingly endless river, and the nature around-it was hard to believe they were still in a game.

He smiled after her, and joined her.

"Yeah, it is, but don't get too close to the edge and fall down."

He didn't realize he'd been staring off until she questioned him.

"Kirito-kun? What's wrong?"

 _I never thought I'd think of something like this; because this, this life seems so perfect...but none of it is...real.._

"Asuna? Does our relationship only exist in _this_ world?"

"That question makes me mad, Kirito-kun," she said, taking his face in her hands, "this may be a virtual world, but my feelings are real, and when we get back to the real world, I'll find you, and fall in love with you all over again," she said, bringing her lips to his.

He loved her optimism. She believed they'd make it back, and though he was unsure himself, he had no intentions to ruin the moment.

He remembered what he'd said, that though this was a virtual world, he felt more alive than in the real world.

 _That statement's not always true, but this, or times like these, make it feel like it is..._

 _I love you, Asuna.._


	3. Chapter 3

The fight he'd just been in wasn't what made him pale, as he drew back the curtain. It was the sight of her, not as data in a system, but as a living being. She was alive, and so was he. They were alive together.

His lips arched into a graceful smile as he looked at her lovingly; she was looking out the window, seemly expectantly.

"Asuna..."

She turned around to face him, as she smiled, reaching her hand out towards him. He took it, lacing their fingers together, as he took a seat on the side of her bed. Unable to control himself, he pulled her into an embrace. He felt her gently trace the new gash on his cheek.

"...I just fought the final battle...it's finally over..."

"... _gomen ne,_ I still can't hear all that well...but it's finally over, isn't it? Finally, finally, I got to meet you," she said, on the brink of tears. He was too, and pulled back.

They, rather their being together, was undoubtedly a miracle; a real intended match. They'd been in a world of so many, yet they'd both been two of the strongest players, and had gotten the chance to be in each others' lives. Their meeting, an unforseen rendezvous, had truly been something. At the time, it seemed as if they'd always remain acquaintances, and as their stories progressed, perhaps even enemies. Now, all those feelings had been replaced with the sweet relief of love, that is when the one you love returns the feeling, which was the case. They'd certainly been lucky, and the struggle, all that they'd been through, was worth this one moment...

She wiped the tears away, and began, "I'm Asuna Yuuki, and I finally got to meet you..."

"I'm Kazuto Kirigaya," he said, blinking away tears of his own as he moved closer to her.

Their lips met, and they both decided that this moment, made everything worth it...

 _Two silhouettes of their former selves seemed to float outside the window, linked hands, and turned, before returning to mist; perhaps to tell the two that a chapter of their lives together had ended, though there was more adventure to come..._


End file.
